The present invention relates generally to the transfer of services, which include electrical energy, fluids and information, between stationary service terminals and mobile devices, such as vehicles.
In today""s world, motor vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles are typically powered by internal combustion engines. In these vehicles, a liquid fossil fuel such as gasoline is ignited to transform the chemical energy in the fuel into mechanical energy that is used to drive the vehicle. Due to the scarcity of fossil fuels and the pollution from vehicles burning these fuels, alternative fuels and new vehicles powered by these alternative fuels are being developed. For example, new types of vehicles that utilize gaseous fuels are being developed and are expected to enter commercial production within the next decade.
One type of gaseous fuel powered vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), which uses a fuel cell to electrochemically generate electricity from hydrogen fuel and uses the electricity to power the vehicle. FCVs may use pure hydrogen delivered directly from a hydrogen fueling station, or may extract hydrogen from a hydrogen-containing fuel. In the latter case, a service terminal may for example, transmit a hydrogen-containing liquid such as methanol to the FCV, for reforming into hydrogen by an on-board methanol reformer. As another example, the FCV may have an on-board electrolyzer that uses electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water molecules supplied to the vehicle by the service terminal.
Because the FCV has different servicing requirements than gasoline-powered vehicles and because no FCV has yet to enter full-scale commercial production, no FCV servicing system is known to exist. Such an FCV servicing system would require service terminals that are configured to service FCVs; for example, an FCV service terminal may have a service port that connects to an FCV and facilitates the exchange of fuel, electricity and possibly data between the FCV and the service port. Providing such an FCV service terminal presents many challenges, including providing cost-effective and efficient systems for connecting the FCV to the service port.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a service port for automatically engaging a plug, wherein the plug is coupled to one and the service port is capable of coupling to the other of a vehicle and a service terminal. The service port includes a receptacle and a controller. The receptacle comprises a clamp inside the receptacle and attached to an actuator for moving the clamp between a clamped and unclamped position; a service exchange interface in between the clamp; and sensors inside the receptacle and configured to monitor the position of a plug inside the receptacle. The controller is electrically connected to the sensors and the actuator, and is programmed to monitor the sensors; when the sensors detect that a plug is in between the clamp and is in position for engagement, the controller is programmed to instruct the actuator to move the clamp until the service engagement interface engages a corresponding service exchange interface on the plug with sufficient force to enable a service to be exchanged between the interfaces.
The receptacle service exchange interface may be configured to exchange one or more services selected from the group of hydrogen, water, and electricity. When configured to exchange a fluid, the service exchange interface includes a fluid valve assembly and a fluid conduit connected to the valve assembly and connectable to one of the vehicle and the service terminal. The sensors may be further configured to detect the clamping force exerted by the clamp against the plug, and the controller may be programmed to stop operation of the actuator when sufficient clamping force is exerted on the plug to establish a fluid seal between the plug and receptacle service exchange interfaces. Furthermore, the valve assembly may include a solenoid actuator which is electrically connected to the controller, and the controller may be programmed to instruct the solenoid actuator to open a valve in the valve assembly when a fluid is to be exchanged.
When configured to exchange electricity, the receptacle service exchange interface includes an electrical contact and an electrical connector connected to the contact and connectable to one of the vehicle and the service terminal.
The clamp may comprise a stationary surface and a moveable surface attached to the actuator, and in such case, the service engagement portion may be attached to the moveable surface. Alternatively, the service engagement interface may be attached to the stationary surface. Also, the receptacle may have a pair of service exchange interfaces attached to the clamp such that the interfaces face each other in between the clamp, the interfaces being a fluid exchange interface and an electricity exchange interface. Each service engagement interface in this case may be attached to a respective clamp surface.
The receptacle may further comprise a cover attached to an actuator that moves the cover between a raised and a lowered position, and the controller may be electrically communicative with the cover actuator and be programmed to lower the cover before the plug enters the receptacle, and to raise the cover when the plug is withdrawn from the receptacle.
The service port may further comprise a transceiver electrically connected to the controller, for communicating with a vehicle or service terminal connected to the plug. In such case, the controller may be further programmed to communicate via the transceiver to the vehicle or service terminal connected to the plug a message that an engagement has been established and that the service port is ready to exchange services.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of automatically engaging a service port and a plug, wherein the plug is coupled to one and the service port is capable of coupling to the other of a vehicle and a service terminal. The method comprises:
(a) inserting a plug into a receptacle of a service port;
(b) detecting that the plug is in position inside the receptacle for engagement;
(c) clamping the plug such that a service engagement interface on the plug engages a service engagement interface in the receptacle with sufficient force to enable a service to be exchanged between the interfaces, then
(d) initiating a service exchange between the plug and service port through their respective service exchange interfaces.
The plug and receptacle service exchange interfaces may be configured to exchange one or more services selected from the group of hydrogen, water, and electricity.
The method may further comprise prior to (a), receiving instructions to initiate engagement with the plug, then lowering a protective cover to expose the receptacle to the plug;
The service engagement interfaces of the plug and receptacle may be configured to exchange a fluid, and the step of clamping in such case comprises monitoring the clamping force exerted on the plug, and increasing the clamping force on the plug until a clamping force sufficient to establish fluid seal between the plug and receptacle service exchange interfaces is detected. The step of initiating a service exchange in such a case comprises opening a fluid valve on the receptacle service exchange interface and advising the vehicle or service terminal that the service port is ready to exchange fluid.
Alternatively, the service engagement interfaces of the plug and receptacle may be configured to exchange electricity and the step of clamping then comprises monitoring the clamping force on the plug, and increasing a clamping force on the plug until a clamping force sufficient to establish an electrical connection between the plug and receptacle service exchange interfaces is detected. The step of initiating a service exchange in such a case comprises advising the vehicle and service terminal that the service port is ready to exchange electricity.
The receptacle and plug may each comprise respective fluid and electrical interfaces; in clamping the plug, the respective receptacle and plug fluid interfaces engage, and the respective receptacle and plug electrical interfaces engage, with sufficient force that both electricity and a fluid is exchangeable between the plug and service port.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a system for automatically coupling a vehicle to a service terminal such that at least one service is transferable therebetween. The system comprises a connectivity device comprising a plug with a service exchange interface, and a deployment apparatus having a proximal end capable of coupling to one of a vehicle and a service terminal, and a distal end attached to the plug; and the service port as described above, which is capable of coupling to the other of the vehicle and service terminal.
In such a system, the service port may be configured to couple to the service terminal and the connectivity device is configured to couple to the vehicle. In such case, the service port may be embeddable in a parking surface of the service terminal facing substantially upwards, and the connectivity device may be configured to couple to the vehicle facing substantially downwards and be deployable in a substantially vertical direction.
Alternatively, the service port may be mountable to an elevated housing of the service terminal facing substantially horizontally outwards, and the connectivity device may be configured to couple to the vehicle facing horizontally outwards and be deployable in a substantially horizontal direction. In such a case, the deployment apparatus may also be deployable in a substantially vertical direction, as well as rotatable about a substantially vertical axis. Furthermore, the service port may be mountable to an elevated housing of the service terminal facing substantially downwards, and the connectivity device may be configured to couple to the vehicle facing substantially upwards and be deployable in a substantially vertical direction.
The service port may be configured to couple to the vehicle and the connectivity device may be configured to couple to the service terminal. In such case, the connectivity device may be configured to couple to a wheel stop of the service terminal and be deployable in a substantially horizontal direction, and the service port may be configured to couple to the underside of the vehicle and may further comprise a deployment apparatus attached to the receptacle, for deploying the receptacle downwards to a height corresponding to the connectivity device. Alternatively, the connectivity device may be embeddable in a parking surface of the service terminal facing substantially upwards and be deployable in a substantially vertical direction, and the service port may be configured to couple to the underside of the vehicle facing substantially downwards.
Or, the connectivity device may be configured to couple to the service terminal facing horizontally outwards and be deployable in a substantially horizontal direction and the service port may be mountable to the vehicle facing substantially horizontally outwards. In such case, the connectivity device may also be deployable in a substantially vertical direction to a height corresponding to the height of the service port. The connectivity device may also be rotatable about a substantially vertical axis. Furthermore, the service port may be connected to a deployment apparatus, for deploying the service port in a substantially vertical direction to a height corresponding to the height of the connectivity device.